Akita inu

The Akita (秋田犬 Akita-inu?) is a large breed of dog originating from the mountainous northern regions of Japan. There are two separate varieties of Akita: a Japanese strain, commonly called "Akita Ken" in Japan, "Akita Inu" ("inu" means "dog" in Japanese), "Japanese Akita"; and an American strain, known as the "Akita" or "American Akita". The Japanese strain comes in a narrow palette of colors, with all other colors considered atypical of the breed, while the American strain comes in all dog colors. The Akita has a short double coat, similar to that of many other northern spitz breeds such as the Siberian Husky, but long coated dogs can be found in many litters due to a recessive gene.

The Akita is a powerful, independent and dominant breed, commonly aloof with strangers but affectionate with family members. As a breed, Akitas are generally hardy, but they have been known to suffer from various genetic conditions and be sensitive to certain drugs.

The most famous Akita is Hachikō, a loyal Akita who lived in Japan before World War II.

Thanks to JS for this gotochi exchange!

Sent: 6 Nov   Received: 19 Nov 2015   Travelled: 13 days